Not Applicable
Not Applicable
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to storage containers for liquids and particularly to storage containers for liquids having built-in tie-down points and dovetailing base sections.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Storage containers for liquids, such a gas cans (note that the term xe2x80x9cgas canxe2x80x9d as used herein applies to any container used to store fluid, such as kerosene, water, mixed gas and oil, and other liquids) have been used ever since the automobile has existed. These cans carried a supply of gas for a vehicle when the number of gas stations was rare. Originally, gas cans were made of metal and were square and tall. Over time, the cans were made of plastic and adopted a smaller size and shape. Some gas cans are generally, square, while others are rounded. Typically, the cans have a fill/pour port and a vent. The inlet port has a nozzle that acts like a funnel. The nozzle is typically stored inside the can when it is not needed. The fill [pour port has a screw on cover that seals it to prevent leaks. To pour gas, the user removed the screw on cover, removes the nozzle, reverses it, places on the fill/pour port, replaces the screw-on cap, opens the vent and pours the gas. To store the can, the user reverses these steps.
Although these cans work well, they have a number of problems. First: by storing the nozzle in the can, the user must be exposed to the gas in the can when the user removes the nozzle. Most often, this is nothing more than an inconvenience. However, in extremely cold temperatures, it can be dangerous. Because gas does not freeze at 30 degrees F., liquid gas can exist at very low temperatures. Removing a gas-covered nozzle at very low temperatures can cause frostbite.
Second, some can designs (e.g., tall and skinny) are unstable and can easily be tipped. The rounded, more stable designs are inconvenient because they cannot readily be stacked. Moreover, all cans stored in a bed of truck or on an all terrain vehicle must be tied down to secure them. Typically, the only tie down point available is the handle on the can. This can work, but is limiting and difficult at best.
Some patented designs for gas cans are found in the following U. S. Patents: U.S. Pat. No. 5,108,016 teaches a cylindrical can that has a fill port on top of the can and a thin hose to dispense the gas. This design is difficult to use because the hose is flexible and must be held or otherwise supported in place. To dispense gas from the container, it must be turned over to dispense the gas through the hose. There is no handle on the container. Thus dispensing the gas takes two hands. Holding the hose requires a third hand. Finally, the hose has a small diameter. This makes dispensing the gas slow and time consuming. Three design Patents to McFarlane, (D259,767, D267,630 and D296,986) teach funnel shaped containers that have elongated spouts. The device shown in Patent No. D296,986 appears to be inherently unstable and prone to falling from an upright position. These containers have a nice appearance, but do not appear to be practical. Finally, Design Patent Nos. D291,282, D278,031, D279,549, D433,635, and D434,328 teach a variety of generally cubical containers for storing gas. These all suffer from a number of problems. As noted above, they are not readily stackable, they are difficult to secure in a truck bed or trailer, they cannot be readily tied together, and they have poor locations for their spouts. The spout location of these devices is such that the container must be tipped over to empty the container. While this is not a problem in some circumstances, it can be a problem where space is limited and there is no room to tip the container enough to completely drain it.
The instant invention is an improved gas can. The can has a number of features that make it easier and safer to carry and use. Some of these features are: the gas can has gaskets made of material that is environmentally friendly and does not leak at any temperature. The plastic used to make can has different colors for the different product stored (one for gas, one for water, etc. The plastic material also does not break down, become weak over time, or fade due to ultraviolet radiation. The backside of the can has a see-through clear area sight marked with gallons/ounces and liters to clearly see amount of product in the can. These scales also make premixing of gas or precise measuring easy. The can comes with pre-made changeable placards that can be selected to identify the product stored in the can, as well as blanks placards to write your own type of product stored in can. The use of placards also provides additional safety and environmental protection. Without the placards, a user with several cans containing different fluids and mixes may have to smell the contents or may even spill a little of the contents to verify exactly what is in a given container. This is not only dangerous for health; it is also an environmental hazard. Placards eliminate the need to xe2x80x9ccheckxe2x80x9d what is in the can. The placards also have an area to write additional information such as the user""s name and address. In this way, the contents of any given can are easily known.
The can is wide and stable on the bottom so it does not tip over easily. The can it has half rounded areas on the front and back of the can top where a round bungee cord can be held in place for securing the can; a small hole is provided in each corner (4) of the can to secure the hook end of a bungee cord for securing the can to all terrain vehicles, snowmobile racks etc. The shape of the can allows cans to be stacked on top of each other (when empty) for compact personal storage or easier store display. Cans have dovetails formed about the base so that they can lock together on the sides making securing then less time consuming and easier. Note that herein, the term xe2x80x9cdovetailxe2x80x9d includes any interlocking type joint, such as half-rounds, box joints, finger joints, and the angled dovetail joints. Any other similar type of interlocking joint may also be used. The can has rubber comfort grip handles on the top, side and bottom, allowing operator to stand in a more upright position for comfort and less stress on the back, (the bottom handle is also part of the locking system for stacking). The can is designed to empty completely when held at a 90-degree angle. The pour spout is flexible so that it holds any given shape; in this way, a user can bend the spout to desired angle allowing no spill, easy hand pouring. The spout is clear and may be marked with ounces and cubic centimeters (cc""s) for use in measuring two stroke oils and additives. The spout is also designed to have an optional water sediment filter screen built in. The pour spout is stored in handle of gas can keeping spout clean and free from dirt and contaminants. It also stores the spout so that the gas or other product does not get on the user""s hands (or anything else) if used properly. The gas can vent has a plastic or rubber cap that will not break under normal use. This cap has a quick turn opening valve that requires only a xc2xd turn to fully open the vent. The cap is not removed from the can. In this way, the can cannot become lost.
In summary, all of the features of this invention are designed to get the stored product in a designated fuel tank and to keep the product off the ground, the user, and machinery, in a safe, secure, easy to use portable container.